


A Peaceful Sleep- A canon Divergence AU

by Dwij008



Category: Mahabharata - Vyasa
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:28:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25784410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dwij008/pseuds/Dwij008
Summary: Arjuna had stayed silent as his life's work, his brothers and his very self was sold away. But this was his wife. Would he watch as his brother offered her up to these hyenas? Blood surged in his veins and he stood up. “No.”
Relationships: Arjuna/Draupadi (Mahabharata), Draupadi/The Pandavas
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30





	A Peaceful Sleep- A canon Divergence AU

It had started innocently. Just a few trinkets lost. Arjuna hadn’t even been paying attention to the game. This was the one part of being a Kshatriya that he didn’t care for. From losing a few coins how the game went to losing the whole empire, Arjuna couldn't comprehend. He sat numbly as one by one Yudhishtira played and lost his four brothers and then, himself. Perhaps now it will be over, he thought. For what else could a man lose after he had lost himself? But that was not to be. He put Draupadi up as stake. And lost. Duryodhana sent a pratikamin to bring her there, as Arjuna’s mind filled with panic. The man returned not with her, but with a question. Did Yudhishthira lose her first or himself? She asked. Admiration warred with concern in his mind as the assembly filled with murmurs. But a question was not enough to stop Duryodhana and he ordered Dusshasana to drag her there. Arjuna had stayed silent as his life's work, his brothers and his very self was sold away. But this was his wife. Would he watch as his brother offered her up to these hyenas? Blood surged in his veins and he stood up. “No.”   
Every eye in the assembly turned to him. He looked around, assessing the hall like a battlefield. There were guards everywhere while he was unarmed. A fight won't work here. “No need to send the prince when you have us slaves at your disposal, your majesty.” He bowed. Duryodhana considered him for a moment. Arjuna prayed that his brothers would not interfere. He saw Karna get up and whisper something to Duryodhana, whose lips curled into a smirk. Arjuna kept his head bent, the picture of deference. “Do it. Bring that woman here. But you’re not going alone. Dusshasana, go with him.” Arjuna’s heart leapt. He had a chance. They met Draupadi halfway. Her hair was open and she was covered with a single, bloodstained garment. For a moment, Arjuna was alarmed but then he remembered, she was in her season. For a moment they just stared at each other. His heart clenched as he saw the tear tracks on her face. Arjuna lengthened his stride, suddenly desperate to reach her. He couldn’t let this beast get to her. He would do anything. Anything. 

Panchali stood frozen as her husband made his way towards her. Anger, disappointment, fear, hope, love, all warred in her mind. He was upon her before she could articulate anything. “Krishnaa…” His voice was a whisper. “Go straight to the queen mother. She’s the only one…” But before he could finish they were interrupted by a booming voice. “Oi! You think you’re very clever huh?” Dusshasana, the vilest of the lot. “I know what you're going to say. That’s where I was about to go.” Draupadi finally finds her voice. “I’ll distract him. Go!” He almost shoves her but Dusshasana is already behind them, blocking the way. “I was hoping you'd do something like this. Now we have reason enough to punish you.” He addresses Arjuna, his tone promising pain. Her husband’s jaw clenches and for a moment he does nothing. And then suddenly he whirls around, fist crashing into the other man's face. The shock of it makes Dusshasana crash to the ground, creating the perfect opening. Panchali leaps over him and makes a run towards the queen mother’s chambers as the sound of Dusshasana's cursing fills the halls. Arjuna had saved her. But who would save him? 

Arjuna didn’t try to fight him. That would never work anyway and he needed to preserve his energy for the punishment that was in store for him. Freedom he had lost, now dignity alone remained. He had no illusions about his predicament. Agraja Yudhishthira had placed them all in an extremely precarious situation with the throw of a dice. Arjuna could, in time, forgive him the loss of wealth and land. That, they could live without. Even regain. But the loss of the basic right to protect his wife? Arjuna would never forgive his brother that. And now he was about to be punished by a lesser man, simply for doing what was necessary. The palace guards surrounded them as Dusshasana smiled with malevolent glee. Arjuna recounted his lessons in the laws of slavery, as two guards forced him to his knees. At least he knew what he was facing. The punishment for a slave hitting a master was multi layered. The master had the right to deliver physical blows on the spot. Then, the slave would be taken to the local lawman, in this case the king himself, where the charges would be read and appropriate punishment delivered. Arjuna struggled to stay upright as the first blow hit him. He wondered how they had arranged for a whip so soon. From the royal stables, perhaps. Pain exploded across his back and he grit his teeth. Arjuna had seen Dusshasana deal with slaves enough times to know that this was only part of what Duryodhana’s stooge had planned for him. Acharya had taught him to bear pain. This was no different from being hit in battle. That thought kept him going for the first few blows. Then, it was only the thought of the alternative, of Panchali in this beast’s clutches, that made him grit his teeth and take it. A few more blows, and his mind became incapable of coherent thought. Dusshasana was shouting but Arjuna could barely register anything. The world around him was darkening. He was only dimly aware of being dragged. Someone held him aloft. There were other voices, though he didn’t recognize any. Even the pain was a dim, distant memory. Finally, the darkness came and with it, relief. 

It was the pain that roused him. Slowly he became aware of his surroundings. He was lying on his stomach, and it seemed a vaidya had tended to him. Sitting up was impossible but Arjuna tried it anyway. He would never be comfortable without at least knowing where he was. His cry of pain brought a maid into the room. “My lord!” she called someone. Arjuna tensed, then relaxed as he recognized the visage of his uncle Vidura. So they were safe. Hopefully. “Thank Narayana! He’s conscious!” Arjuna tried to speak but was interrupted by the deluge of people that filled the small room. His brothers, his mother and Panchali. The sight of her filled him with relief. She was safe. Whatever else they had lost would hurt much less. For a moment, they only stared. “That was the most foolish, reckless thing you ever did.” It was Agraja Bheem who spoke. “I’m proud of you!” Arjuna smiled weakly. “I’m sure you want to know what happened.” The much calmer Nakula knelt near him. Arjuna’s eyes roamed over them and he was relieved to know that his brothers didn’t have to bear the brunt of his actions. He wouldn’t be able to live knowing he had caused them pain, even inadvertently. The guilt would consume him. He searched for the one who would have to live with that and found him standing apart, almost in the shadows. “When they brought you in there, all bloody and unable to even stand, I wanted to strangle Duryodhana! But then Mother Gandhari appeared and with her, Draupadi.” It was Agraja Bheem again. Arjuna stared at his wife in shock. She had willingly entered that den of wolves? Even with the protection of Mother Gandhari, that was a risk. He wanted to ask why, but realized he didn’t have to. For him. For them all. He somehow knew without being told that the reason they were safe in their uncle’s home was her. 

Sahadeva took over the narration. “Everyone was stunned. A woman in a public assembly, in that state! But then Draupadi asked her question again, you remember the one she asked when Duryodhana sent the pratikamin to bring her?” Of course he did. But he also knew that words alone would never be enough to stop the likes of the men in that Sabha. “Everyone argued back and forth, with no conclusion. Vikarna, surprisingly, spoke in our favor.” Sahadeva continued. “Vasusena, that lowborn son of a Suta, argued with him but then he said… something that made all hell break lose.” Sahadeva glanced uneasily at their wife. When she said nothing, he went on. “There was a brawl. It could’ve ended up in someone being killed, but the King intervened. There were some… negotiations. But we were released from slavery. On a condition.” Arjuna swallowed, this couldn’t be good. “The king said that since the validity of the stake couldn’t be ensured Panchali was free. But all the stakes before that were clearly legal. As a mark of goodwill, he reverted our slavery. But we are to be punished. Twelve years of exile.” That was expected, but from everyone’s expressions, especially Krishnaa’s, Arjuna knew there was more to this story. “The king of Gandhara made an offer to Agraja. A thirteenth year, incognito. If we are able to spend the entire year without being detected, they would return everything. But if they do find us, we will have to go on exile for another twelve years. He accepted.” Another gamble. Arjuna suppressed the feeling of betrayal. “When…when are we… leaving?” he choked out. The twins shared an uneasy glance. “When you are recovered. Until then, we can stay here.” Agraja Yudhishthira answered without looking at him. Was it shame that made his brother avoid the sight of him? In this moment, Arjuna couldn’t bring himself to be worried. He closed his eyes. “We should let him rest. I’ll call the Vaidya.” Uncle Vidura, forever the voice of reason, interjected. One by one, they all filtered out. Except Draupadi. She had said nothing as Sahadeva recounted the events in the Sabha. Only listened with an inscrutable expression. Now, she knelt beside him, and placed a hand on his cheek. Neither said anything for they had never needed words to understand each other. They had lost everything, yet, they were together. She was unhurt, his brothers were safe. And they had hope. Nothing too bad had happened. Nothing too important had been lost. He wanted to believe that nothing had changed. Yet, he knew, everything had. Agraja Yudhishthira had lost something far more valuable and difficult to regain than an empire. He had lost the trust of his family at the throw of dice. Arjuna didn’t know how his brother would sleep at night, knowing that. He smiled slightly as Krishnaa’s fingers moved soothingly over his scalp. He had earned a peaceful sleep.


End file.
